Eerie Battle of Wills: Raian vs Tsukishima
Under the Soul-less Skies Under the moonlight of Soul Society, Raian Getsueikirite, Captain of the 8th Division, landed on a lone rooftop along the edges of the Seireitei. He had detected an odd presence, one he'd heard about from Byakuya when he was under that latter's tutelage. As he reached the center of the roof, he stopped and about-faced. "Emerge, Shūkurō Tsukishima...." he said in a low voice. From this statement, entered a man with messy black-hair, bearing a very light yet crude smile. "I'm impressed, Getsueikirite-san. How long did you know I was there?" Raian knew better than to mince words with this enemy. Just one minute slip up, and it was over. "Since the moment I landed. What gall you have returning to Seireitei after your crimes. You must have a death wish, and I'm obliged to grant it." Raian replied. He slowly grabbed his Zanpakutō, preparing to draw it at the slightest movement. Raian was aware of Tsukishima's powers, and he wasn't about to be cut. Tsukishima narrowed his eyes for a moment. "You seem rather jumpy, Getsueikirite-san. It's not a good look for a Captain." he noted, nonchalantly drawing his weapon. "But based on your behaviour, I can only assume you know about my power." he continued, slowly curling his lips into a soft smile; the man was about to enter into a battle with one of the Gotei 13's strongest, and remained static, without a care in the world. "Don't flatter yourself." Raian spat, "And do not confuse my behaviors, Tsukishima-san. There is not one Captain among the Gotei 13, whom would be jumpy towards your abilities." With that, Raian drew his blade, striking the ground and causing a powerful shockwave. "If you think for even a second you'll get the upper hand on me so easily, come try." he challenged. With that, Tsukishima's smile widened just a bit, as his eyes remained narrowed. He remained silent for about a moment, but then smirked softly. "Interesting. You make it sound as if I won't be able to touch you. Little did you know... I already have." Raian used Shunpo and closed in, appearing behind Tsukishima a few feet. "Correct. You see? Even within your range, you shall be unable to cut me with your blade." Raian declared, !" With that, six bars of light surround Tsukishima, aiming to slam into his waist. Tsukishima remained calm all through-out, and turned his head over, noticing Raian's movement. At that moment, came a voice. "Taichō!" said the new-comer, flash stepping a ways off from the two combatants. He was a man with black hair, similar to Tsukishima's, but well-kept. He was Kujaku Kuchiki, the third-seat of the Eighth Division. "I sensed your spiritual energy, Taichō. Do you require any assistance?" Raian was taken aback by the sudden arrival, "Kujaku! Why have you come?! Run!" he barked to his lieutenant. He wasn't expecting newcomers; alone Tsukishima could be beaten, but if his powers could be used, things might get troublesome. Raian flashed in front of Kujaku, to prevent Tsukishima from having a clear shot, he then slashed his sword in Tsukishima's direction, creating a large shockwave that devastated the rooftop battleground. The shockwave created an immense burst of pressure in all directions, but what was truly devastating was who had took the brunt of such an attack. It was then shown, Kujaku had stepped between Tsukishima and Raian, using the Bakudō spell Danku to block it, albeit the shield revealed a crack on its centre. Tsukishima continued bearing his smile. Kujaku narrowed his eyes. "Attacking a Captain is unforgiveable. Regardless of who they are, or what they want, anyone who disturbs the peace of the Soul Society will be cut down." he declared. He looked back to Tsukishima. "Tsukishima-taichō, are you unharmed?" he asked, but then turned his attention back to Raian. "Ryoka... how dare you wear the Captain's haori of the Eighth Division." he openly stated, as Tsukishima then stepped forward alittle. "Yes, Getsueikirite-san. Most unfitting. I'd like it if you'd return my Captain's jacket back to me." he mused. This time, Raian was genuinely shocked. "Shit... He already got to my lieutenant. Did he plan to fight me?! Whatever the case, this will be more troublesome with Kujaku in the way." Raian thought. He calmed himself and held out his blade, "Low move, Tsukishima. A lieutenant is a captain's closest advisor, and their battle partners. I won't have you go stealing mine away from me." he declared, a glow entering his eyes, "Rip..." Suddenly, his sword released a large burst of energy as it assumed its Shikai state. "Oh, and the haori... you'll have to take it off my cold, dead body.." Raian vs Tsukishima and Kujaku: A Difficult Battle Begins! Kujaku then drew his own Zanpakutō, standing beside Tsukishima, whom already was holding his weapon. "Kujaku-san, let's execute Plan Delta." Tsukishima stated, remaining calm and collected, as Kujaku stepped forward, holding his blade up to Raian. "Understood, Tsukishima-taichō." Kujaku then lowered his blade, holding his left arm up to Raian. "Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku!" he stated, several golden chains flew from his back, all toward Raian. "Useless.." Raian muttered holding up his Zanpakutō, "Kiteni!" Sajō Sabaku was then absorbed into Raian's Shikai, resonating with his soul in order to strengthen it. With a flick of his blade, he sent the attack back far faster than it had come at him, aiming for Tsukishima. "Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku!" Kujaku stated, several golden chains flying out from his back once more, clashing with Raian's own. Using this chance, Tsukishima flashed away, appearing behind Raian almost instantly. "Be careful, Getsueikirite-san." he mused, swinging his blade down, aiming for Raian's backside, hoping to slash through the man's shoulder. Raian flashed to the left, avoiding the attack. "How disappointing, Tsukishima. I thought you were more creative than that. I'm a captain for a reason. Such obvious maneuvers will be hard to pull on me. And for the record, it is you who should be careful." Raian began, "We both have 'one hit' attacks. Meaning that whoever cuts the other first will end this little battle. Can you afford to be so careless again?" With that, Raian fired a small burst of Kidō at the roof, causing a large explosion and a hole to open up in the roof. When the smoke cleared, he was gone. Tsukishima stood silently, watching the hole in the roof, as he slammed his blade into the ground near him, letting go of the hilt. He jumped from his position, and followed Raian closely behind, entering into the hole. Kujaku remained behind, one eye had drifted to Tsukishima's blade, which he left behind. "Taichō left his blade... I don't understand it..." he thought. Raian wasn't hiding, so when Tsukishima came through the hole in the roof, they saw each other immediately. Raian was unnerved that he'd come without his blade, and decided not to get in over his head. The man he faced was known for his diabolical plots. Any false assumptions would be fatal. "You come here without your blade? Truly you are an interesting man, Tsukishima." Raian commented. Tsukishima slowly walked along the pathway to Raian, retaining his soft smile. "Interesting. Making assumptions is dangerous, Getsueikirite-san. You don't seem the type to make those kind of mistakes, Getsueikirite-san." he mused, continuing to walk forward, as if he was taking a walk in the park, his eyes watching Raian. Before long, he flashed away, reappearing behind Raian, attempting to punch the latter square in the head. Raian ducked beneath the punch easily, and made a direct slash towards Tsukishima's waist. "Child's play." he spat. Tsukishima's Trap Tsukishima's eyes widened as he was cut right through the waist, the blade remaining stuck inside the gory bloody mess that was now the former's waist. But Tsukishima remained calm, and swung his arms over, tightening a grip on Raian that would keep him close and unable to move freely. Behind him, to Raian's surprise, stood Tsukishima. The Tsukishima that was stabbed smiled softly, as its eyes sparked with a light purple discharge. The Tsukishima behind the trapped Raian then smiled as well. "You seem confused, Getsueikirite-san. My Zanpakutō, Mnemosyne, slips my presence into my target's past. In that instant... I made it so that I visited the Seireitei long before this encounter. It should make sense. Because my presence was inside the land of Seireitei, I already knew of this fight of ours, and made sure to prepare a Reigai for this very encounter. The "Tsukishima" you confronted... was the Reigai copy, the very moment my blade sliced through the ground." he mused, a flashback revealing when Tsukishima cut the ground with his blade, immediately following Raian's escape into the hole in the building's roof. The Reigai Tsukishima kept Raian tightly trapped, as the real Tsukishima slowly made his way for Raian's back. "And now, you are in Check, Getsueikirite-san." he stated, as his gaze peered up slightly, noticing that now Kujaku was over-head, aiming his arm at Raian, on the off-chance that the latter should escape from the Reigai's hold. "...And with that, it is Checkmate." Tsukishima mused, continuing to walk forward, his blade held firmly in hand. Raian's eyes widened in shock. "He did plan this! A reigai?! Well I'll show him...." Raian thought. From the outside, a massive explosion let loose, causing the house to explode with great force. This effect was followed by a dense pressure falling all around the combatants, and when the smoke cleared, Raian was floating above the wreckage looking cautiously down over the devastation. "Amazing what a captain's reiatsu can do, isn't it? You're a smart man, Tsukishima. I'll give you that. But you will not fool me a second time." he declared, flicking the blood from the Reigai-Tsukishima off of his blade. "I have to be more cautious. I've been too straight forward up until now. I need to analyze him more in depth." he though as he watched the smoke. Tsukishima walked over to the bloody Reigai copy, and then looked to Kujaku, nodding at the young man, as he flashed away. Tsukishima then appeared away from the ruins, standing on one of the remaining structures, looking out to where Raian was floating. "Very risky, Getsueikirite-san. I would have never expected such a method coming from you." he admitted, jumping down from the structure, landing on the ground outside the ruins. He once more cut through the ground, but the strangest thing then happened... He faded away. As Raian contemplated this, a loud scream then occured behind the Captain, as he witnessed a now-healed Tsukishima, stabbing Kujaku through his chest with a sword. As Kujaku fell, Tsukishima stood back up. "I stabbed through the ground, and as such, everything went back to normal. I'm now myself, instead of being the Reigai at this moment." he confirmed, looking down at a bloody Kujaku. "It is most unfortuante... Having to cut Kujaku-san again, and release my power from him. Oh well, to move forward, sacrifices must be made." he stated, looking up to Raian. "Isn't that right, Getsueikirite-san?" he asked, although in a musing tone, taking a few steps away from the Lieutenant he had just cut down with his blade. Kujaku was attempting to breathe as much as possible, blood flowing from his chest at an alarming rate. "Tai... Tai... Taich... Taichō... Help... Help me..." he near begged, turning his body over, laying on his back, the injury in his chest plainly visible. "That sword of his is troublesome." Raian pondered, "He's baiting me with Kujaku, so moving to help him, at least for now, would be fatal to us both. It seems Tsukishima can insert his presence into almost anything. Inanimate objects included. The obvious solution is to disable his Zanpakutō, but it would be risky to just charge in. Then I'll try this..." Raian held Jūjiraiku out in front of him, its blade becoming outlined in white energy. With a powerful step forward, he swung his blade, creating a transparent blast of energy, visible only because of its white outline. "Keigetsu Tentō!" he roared as the blast left his blade, heading straight for Tsukishima.